Doing good is good for business. Just ask IKEA!

After its first year in action, 70 participants have completed the IKEA Skills for Employment program in Australia.

The program is delivering social and business impact in a myriad of ways. The Skills for Employment program has profound impact on the lives of the participants, as well as the ‘buddies’, line managers and co-workers across our company.

From co-worker engagement to increased customer connection, to accessing a new, highly engaged and motivated a potential talent pool, IKEA says it is clear that doing good is good for business.

The University of Sydney Business School has recently released the Employers Guide to Refugee Employment written by Associate Professor Betina Szkudlarek. The Guide encourages all businesses out there who have not hired refugees to explore the opportunity.

Associate Professor Szkudlarek is leading a pioneering project that explores the perspective of those organisations that have not hired refugees previously.

The study will be used to improve employment outcomes of refugee jobseekers, inform policy, and advance tangible solutions to refugee workforce integration in Australia.

The research team can also directly support businesses with specific hiring needs as well as share information about numerous governmental incentives and best practices.

IKEA are calling on other businesses who have not yet hired refugees or asylum seekers to explore the opportunity to participate in this project.

The study involves two interviews of 60 mins each, three months apart and is entirely confidential. Employers who took part in the study thus far found it highly insightful for their business.

If you are interested in participating or have any additional questions, please contact Dr. Betina Szkudlarek at refugee-employment.project@sydney.edu.au.

Harriet Pope, Skills for Employment Program Leader, IKEA Australia, is also happy to answer any questions from businesses about the program at harriet.pope@ingka.ikea.com.

About IKEA Skills for Employment

The IKEA Skills for Employment program is designed to help overcome barriers to employment. It is delivered in partnership with award-winning social enterprise Community Corporate.

Participants spend two months in a paid placement working at IKEA and leave having gained crucial work experience in Australia and a reference for future employment.

Though not the focus of the program, over 80 per cent of participants have secured ongoing work where roles were available and of these, 90 per cent are still employed with IKEA.

Community Corporate provides ongoing support to participants who do not continue with IKEA to help them secure other employment or study.

Program highlights

• There have been 70 participants to date from 19 countries, with the majority from Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan with an average age of 32 years
• In Australia, IKEA has committed to supporting 180 refugees and asylum seekers in the program by 2023
• Globally, IKEA has committed to supporting at least 2,500 refugees by 2023 through job training and language skills initiatives in 300 IKEA units across 30 countries

Since the launch of the pilot in October 2020, the program has evolved considerably. It is a collaborative effort with expert guidance from Community Corporate and an academic study conducted by the University of Sydney Business School.

This unique research, supervised by Associate Professor Betina Szkudlarek, aims to improve the experiences of everyone involved in refugee employment through understanding how people with a refugee background adjust to a new workplace in Australia.

Data gathered by IKEA, the University of Sydney study and Community Corporate helps IKEA understand the multidimensional impact of the program.

This data tells a story of mutual rewards.

Harriet Pope, Skills for Employment Project Leader, IKEA Australia, said, “For participants, it’s so much more than a work placement.

“It’s a chance to connect with community, in some cases for the first time. It can also be an opportunity to establish financial freedom and the chance to contribute to society, all leading to a huge boost in self-confidence and hope for the future.

“For co-workers, IKEA has seen that not only are they enhancing their cultural awareness but say they are building new communication and mentoring skills. There’s a stronger sense of purpose and meaning in their daily work.

“For customers, there are clear examples of shared languages and cultural connections that support a better customer experience, especially in our more diverse neighbourhoods across the country.

“And for the business, IKEA has unearthed a new talent pool of highly motivated, adaptable, and loyal people. It is early days but IKEA is already seeing indications of significantly lower turnover and absenteeism rates in this group.”

Previous research has demonstrated that many Australian companies benefited in numerous ways by expanding their talent pool to include refugees.

The success of the Skills for Employment program to date shows the real-world benefits of a refugee workforce integration initiative on a company, and one IKEA want to see scaled and replicated across the retail sector and beyond in Australia.